THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER: Science Fiction, Fantasy or Realism? By David Hyde In June 1981 Philip K. Dick was waiting to hear from his agent on acceptance of THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER. His agent at the Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Russ Galen, had read the novel and commented: You know, in your science fiction they drive things called flobbles and quibbles, and in this one they drive Hondas -- but it's still essentially a science fiction novel. Although I can't explain exactly how. 1. So is the novel science fiction? Or fantasy? Or realism? The answer depends on how you define these terms. The main distinction between them is that science fiction, to be defined as such, proceeds from a basis of consensual possibility. For example, it is possible that mankind will develop a gravity drive and go on to the stars. It’s also possible that we will develop a time- machine or attain immortality. But it is not possible according to the consensus of Western thought that fairies will sprinkle one’s St. Bernard with magic dust and the dog will rise into the air and fly. Or, more to the point, that ancient Zoroastrian deities will take over a town and conduct a cosmic battle in and above it. Fantasy deals with the impossible. That’s why ghost stories are considered fantasies and why THE COSMIC PUPPETS is fantasy. Realism is all about the actual; the consensual world or Koinos Kosmos as PKD calls it. In this world the impossible doesn’t happen and the possible happens only along accepted scientific lines. To simplify the whole thing we can say that realism deals with the actual and probable whereas science fiction is about the possible and fantasy concerns the impossible. So, then, is THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER science fiction or fantasy; or is it neither and instead straight realist fiction? The premise of THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER is that ancient documents supposedly recently discovered in the Judean desert throw doubt upon the origins of Christianity. Is this actual, possible or impossible? Well, obviously the answer is that it is possible, ancient scrolls can be discovered at any time. Therefore TIMOTHY ARCHER is science fiction. If the Zadokite scrolls in the novel had actually already been discovered then TIMOTHY ARCHER would be a straight mainstream realist novel. If the premise had been that the Zadokite scrolls were guarded by a giant dragon then it would be fantasy. But what if they hadn’t been discovered, which they haven’t – the Zadokite scrolls are a fiction made up by Dick -- but the novel is written as if they had? What do we hold in our hands then as far as literary classifications? Do we have fake realism!? I think that Philip K. Dick, perhaps unconsciously but at least with some idea of what he was trying to do, was attempting to blur these categories into one. He said about THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER: It really was necessary for me to do the novel, as a projection of thematic material going back years and years and years in my writing, in stuff even as early as EYE IN THE SKY and TIME OUT OF JOINT. 2. And, talking about TIME OUT OF JOINT he says: PKD Otaku 9 - April 2003 1 What I was trying to do in that book was true, it is real, hence VALIS is a realist novel. But in account for the diversity of worlds that fact it is the opposite of a realist novel, it is an anti- people live in. I had not read Heraclitus realist novel because it doesn’t take the consensual then, I didn't know his concept of idios world as real for its basis but affirms this world as kosmos, the private world, versus koinos false. kosmos, which we all share. I didn't know To Dick VALIS is real but to the real world it is that the pre-Socratics had begun to discern fantasy, yet since it is possible that a man may be these things. […] It reminded me of the idea visited by God -- whole religions are based on this that Van Vogt had dealt with, of artificial -- then VALIS becomes science fiction. memory, as occurs in THE WORLD OF Fake reality… a notion that has shaken up the NULL-A where a person has false literary world. The academics call it post- memories implanted. 3. modernism. For Western literature it means abolishment of categories and a literature in which And, talking further on TIME OUT OF JOINT: fantasy, science fiction and realism are all blurred together. It was really a risky thing to do. But there All his life PKD wanted to write mainstream or again we are dealing with fake reality and I realist novels. He indeed wrote several but he had become obsessed with the idea of fake doubted the truth of reality itself, its realism, and reality. I was just fascinated with the idea. came to understand that a dubious reality cannot So that’s a pivotal book in terms of my be expressed as if it was real. Perhaps this is why career. It was my first hardcover sale, and it his mainstream novels are unconvincing. But the was the first novel in which the entire world obverse of this: that a true reality can be expressed is fake. You find yourself in it when you pick as if it was fake is exactly where PKD ended up in up the book and turn to page one. The novels like THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE; world that you are reading about does not FLOW MY TEARS, THE POLICEMAN SAID and exist. And this was to be essentially the VALIS. premise of my entire corpus of writing, Which brings us full circle to the categorization really. 4. of THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER. Is it science fiction, fantasy or realism? If we put this all together then we arrive at PKD’s And now we have our answer: it is all of them at notion of ‘fake reality.’ And to this we apply our once because with the advent of VALIS all category test. Is a fake reality real, possible or subsequent literature is post-modernist in nature. impossible? To which PKD forces us to answer – And a main tenet of post-modernism is that reality as no doubt he nebulously intended – we don’t itself is brought into question and the literary know, we don’t know, and no. category of realism is abolished. In a sense with The idea is not fantasy, that we can decide. It’s VALIS Philip K. Dick, continuing on from A. E. Van not impossible. As to actuality or possibility PKD in Vogt, is doing a scientific task: the advancement of the extended body of his work writes in such a way human knowledge. For with VALIS he brings out that the line blurring science fiction and realism is into the open that which he has only hinted at dissolved. before; the recognition that accepted literary The key to all this is, of course, Dick’s pink categories are redundant. Such artificialities as beam experiences. fantasy, science fiction and realism are According to Dick these actually happened, meaningless in other than superficial ways when were real. Which is fine except that now he writes a the nature of reality itself is not known. Categories novel based on these experiences: VALIS. So is collapse and the basis for a new understanding of VALIS science fiction, fantasy or realism? ‘reality’ is established. Dick, with the veracity of his pink beam Now if that accomplishment isn’t a landmark in experiences affirmed, does in VALIS something Western literature what is? that pretty much abolishes these categories. Despite the accidents in VALIS which are science 1. Twilight Zone, Vol. 2, No. 3, June 1982, John Boonstra, fictional, the essence of the novel is that VALIS is interviewer. PKD Otaku 9 - April 2003 2 2. The Patchin Review, No. 5, Oct/Dec 1982, pp. 2-6. fix it. Lots of love, and send John a Xerox of the Interview by John Boonstra above. Say hello to Carol, and yes, I did mean it 3. The Dream Makers, p150, interview with PKD by Charles when I said I'd love to do a novel for Ace. Very Platt. much so! 4. In His Own Words, by Gregg Rickman, 9-30-81 Cordially, Philip K. Dick PKD & JOHN BRUNNER: 1968 [[What actually appeared as a blurb on the back cover of To: TERRY CARR The Jagged Orbit: "This big sprawling novel with its wealth of characters grips you rapidly. It is a superb November 11, 1968 work, plotted with amazing skill, and showing a magnetic artistry much above anything Brunner has previously Dear Terry, shown. This is a major epic, with a sparkling range of bizarre, convincing details of tomorrow, and if its climax Thank you for sending me JAGGED ORBIT by strikes you as strongly as it did me, you'll find this book John Brunner, whom I dearly love. It is a fine worth three times its price."] novel. Here is my reaction: This big, sprawling novel with its wealth of From JOHN BRUNNER characters, its massive interacting parts, grips you rapidly. It is a superb work, 21st November 1968 created by a craftsman, plotted with amazing skill, and showing, finally, a Dear Phil, magnetic artistry much above anything Terry Carr sent me a photocopy of your very kind Brunner has previously shown.